Eight Helpful House Hints for Winter

Winter is a time to play in the snow, curl up with blankets and hot cocoa,
and enjoy some pretty scenery. But, for home owners winter also means
preparing the house for winter and keeping the house up through nasty weather.

With winter now in full swing, most homeowners should have already finished
winterizing their home. So, now it’s time to take the next steps
to keep your house organized and tidy during the cold months with these
helpful house hints for winter.

Get a clear plastic hanging shoe organizer to store your winter wear. This
will create a way for everyone to easily store their hats, gloves, and
scarves close to the door and they can easily pick out which are theirs.
Hanging the organizer on the door you exit the house from most will also
help the forgetful types from leaving these items behind.

Whether you have kids coming home from school, you were out shoveling,
or taking part in any outdoor winter travel, no one wants to walk into
the house with their wet boots. Create a simple and stylish drying system
with a plastic tray filled with rocks or pebbles. This lets boots drip
dry inside without messing up floors.

While we’re on the topic of boots, nothing is worse than when the
inside of your boots get wet. Cold, wet feet are never fun! Once you’ve
gotten back inside and changed into dry socks, stuff your boots with newspaper
to absorb the moisture quicker.

Have a furry, four-legged friend who loves the snow? Keep an old towel
or rag near the door to clean up pet paws before they get too far into
the house after a walk. This is a perfect item to keep on hand in a mudroom
or garage.

Looking for low cost ways to keep the house warm? Use the reverse switch
on your ceiling fans, so the blades turn in a clockwise direction. Keep
the fan on the lowest setting. This will push hot air back down into the room.

Open the curtains in your house when the sun is out. This is another low
cost way to bring heat and light into the home, helping to lower the electric
bill. Maximize this tip by buying thicker curtains (or lining your existing
curtains with fleece) to keep that heat in when you close the curtains.

Ever have to deal with an extra heavy shovel because snow or ice is sticking
to it? Before you go out, spray your shovel with non-stick cooking spray
or WD-40. The snow will slide right off.

Stock up on tin foil to keep your fireplace clean. Before lighting a fire,
place a double layer of tin foil across the bottom of a fireplace or wood
grate. Enjoy the fire, and the next morning simply fold the tin foil,
which will contain ashes, up and throw it away. Be sure the fire is complete
out before you go to clean!

We hope that these tips help to ease your winter woes so you can enjoy
some winter fun! And if you’re looking to ease more homeowner duties,
you can learn more about hiring a house cleaning service at
www.thecleaningauthority.com.